Mr Limitless 95 blog : Travel to the EU post Brexit becomes more complicated

Since today is the final day of 2022 (Happy New Year in Advance) I thought I would want to talk about travel to the EU from the UK post Brexit & the introduction of European Travel Information and Authorisation (ETIAS).

Why I am talking about Brexit? It has been two years since the end of the Brexit transition period on 31st December 2020 when the UK left the Customs Union & the Single Market because of the fact that the UK left the EU on 31st January 2020

It is nearly two years since I talked about the effects of Brexit as I wrote on January 2021 & it is still clear to me that Brexit is not worth it for everyone and businesses affected by the policy that benefits nothing. Read more about the effects of Brexit

I like to reiterate my points that I first talked about it in October 2021 given I know the differences between travel to the EU pre Brexit and post Brexit. Since I visited two EU countries: Spain in 2018 and France in 2019

Pre Brexit = UK passport holders were EU citizens until 2020 with the benefits of freedom of movement & the rights to live, study and work in the European Union unlimited. No passport stamp. 🇪🇺🛂

Post Brexit = UK passport holders are third country nationals like every single non European nationals (Japanese, Chinese, Canadians, Indians, Singaporeans, Australians, Americans, etc). No benefits of the freedom of movement. Only visa free travel to the EU up to 90 days (3 months which is limited) & passport stamp.

Read more about post Brexit travel to the EU that I previously published back in October 2021. The link is here up above.

Which brings me to the introduction of the ETIAS which will soon be launched in the New Year.

What is European Travel Information and Authorisation (ETIAS)?

Like America’s ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation), Canada’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), Australia’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) & New Zealand’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation), ETIAS is US style visa wavier travel system for visitors from non EU countries (including the United Kingdom). The countries that has visa free travel with the bloc of 27 EU member states. It is not a visa and it will be the system that will keep in check & having applications to be processed in order to allow anyone from third countries to enter the 26 countries in the Schengen Area plus 7 non EU nations like Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Vatican City, Monaco, San Marino and Norway. As the applicant (he/she) does not have a criminal record for example & following the rules by understanding that visiting Europe up to 90 days is leisure (holiday/vacation), business (temporary), etc & the validity of ETIAS application for the person travelling to the EU27 is three years.

Furthermore, the ETIAS was meant to be launched this year 2022 but it has been pushed to the year that we will soon enter (2023).

So what it means for British passport holders (regardless who voted in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Remain or Leave) including myself? Well in my opinion, it is another example of why Brexit continues to show that it benefits nothing to the UK. €7 (£6) ETIAS fee to enter any country in mainland Europe? Sometimes I really do despair for what this country have really become since leaving the European Union. It really makes me wonder why there are still no positive of being outside the European Union. Good thing that I didn’t voted for Brexit.

For those who voted for Brexit & complaining about being in queues (non EU queues) at European airports & being happy with blue passports, should really suck it up & accept the fact it has consequences. I am not going to wish anymore energy about it but you do understand what I am coming from.

So that is all I can say about it.

Enjoy yourself on the final day of 2022. Stay tuned for more blog posts that I will release in 2023. Happy New Year. 🙂😀🎉🥳🎊